IOPList.Org

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January 1 Birthdays


Morgan Fisher - 66



Pocahontas - (1595-1617)



John Smith - (1580-1631)



Paul Revere - (1735-1818)



Betsy Ross - (1752-1836)






January 1st

2002: Eric Clapton married 25 year old Melia McEnery at the St. Mary Magdalene Church in Ripley, Surrey, U.K. at the christening of their daughter Julie Rose. This was Clapton’s second marriage.

2000: George Harrison left a London hospital after being treated for stab wounds during an encounter with an intruder. Doctors told him he would be able to play guitar again.

1990: A radio station in St. Petersburg, FL played “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin for 24 hours straight as they launched their all-Led Zeppelin format.

1989: Nirvana signed their first record contract, a three-year three-album deal with Seattle-based Sub Pop Records.

1980: Rush released their seventh studio album, Permanent Waves which went on to become their first top five album in the U.S., eventually peaking at number four on the Billboard 200 album chart the following month.

1978: Ozzy Osbourne rejoined Black Sabbath after having left the previous November, temporarily replaced by Savoy Brown singer Dave Walker. Osbourne would be fired the following year.

1977: London’s first punk venue, The Roxy Club opened with a concert headlined by The Clash.

1976: Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant walked unassisted for the first time since his car accident in Greece the previous August.

1962: The Beatles performed their first audition in London for a major record label, Decca Records. Decca A and R man Dick Rowe passed on signing them and told the group’s manager Brian Epstein “guitar groups are on the way out” as his reason for not signing The Beatles.



Birthdays:

Morgan Fisher - Keyboardist for Mott the Hoople born in 1950

Monday 2 Jan 2017

National Motivation and Inspiration Day



It’s January 2nd, the beginning of a whole new year, and you’ve just gotten over your hangover —what time could possibly be better to be motivated and inspired?

You have a whole 365 days ahead of you, and now is the time to start making them count!

The History of Motivation and Inspiration Day

Even though to many, January 2nd is in fact just about finally getting over your New Year’s Party hangover, the history of Motivation and Inspiration day is much more somber.

National Motivation and Inspiration Day was passed by The United States Congress on December 18th, 2001, after the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.

That was when Kevin L. McCrudden became the first and so far only motivational and leadership speaker to ever have had such a day passed by Congress, acknowledging the importance of “motivation” and “inspiration” in our daily lives.

After the tragedy that was September 11th, 2001, McCrudden felt that all Americans needed something to remind them that there were still many things to live on for.

The reality was bleak at that time, and many people felt sad, scared or lost—especially those whose family members or friends had gotten killed suddenly in the World Trade Center attacks of just a few months before.

McCrudden originally intended for this day to be dedicated to helping people become the best they can be and maximize their potential through the creation of annual goals.

The idea caught on quite quickly, and Motivation and Inspiration Day is now celebrated in different places across the world as well as in the United States, encouraging people everywhere to change their lives for the better.



And



Happy Mew Year Day For Cats



Any cat owner will tell you that cats consider themselves to be far, far superior to us mere mortals.

They most certainly feel entitled and deserving of all that life has to offer, so why not have a Happy Mew Year Day For Cats Day just for them?

Like the hugely inferior human version of New Year’s Day, it is on this special day that our feline companions can paws (get it?) and consider the ‘mewness’ of the brand new season and all of the purrfect possibilities it holds.

Perhaps this will be the year their people start feeding them tinned food instead of dry?

Maybe that tomcat next door will make his move?

Will the useless dog realise that the cat is king in this house?

All these questions and more can be pondered by our furry kitties today while they go about their normal business of looking aloof and disinterested.

After all, don’t you know that cats rule and dogs drool?

The History of Happy Mew Year Day

Happy Mew Year for Cats Day was created by wellcat.com so cats could have their own little celebration for New Year’s. And why not indeed? Cats are graceful, regal and all around fabulous, so why shouldn’t they have their own version of New Year’s?

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January 2 Birthdays


Cuba Gooding Jr. - 49



Dax Shepard - 42



Jack Hanna - 70



Anna Lee - (1913-2004)






January 2nd

2009: It was revealed that AC/DC was the biggest seller in albums in the U.S. in 2008 selling a combined total of 3.4 million albums thanks in large part to their album Black Ice which was released that October.

2008: It was revealed that Paul McCartney had undergone a coronary angioplasty after feeling unwell.

2001: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx’s then-wife, Baywatch’s Donna D’Errico gave birth to Sixx’s fifth child, a daughter named Frankie-Jean.

1997: Randy California, guitarist and singer for Spirit drowned in Molokai, HI while rescuing his 12 year old son from a rip current. He was 45 years old.

1985: Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood married former model Jo Howard in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. The wedding guests included Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. Jo would file for divorce in 2009.

1979: Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious went on trial in New York City for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen in October the previous year.

1971: George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass began a seven week run on top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart. Harrison was the first Beatle to reach number one on the album chart as a solo artist.

1969: The Beatles began filming Let it Be at London’s Twickenham Studios to rehearse songs for a worldwide satellite broadcast.

1969: Led Zeppelin began a three night stand at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, CA. Support came from the Alice Cooper band.



Birthdays:

Chick Churchill - Keyboardist for Ten Years After born in 1946

Tuesday 3 Jan 2017

Festival Of Sleep Day



We all love sleep, right?

Climbing into bed, snuggling up under the covers and slowly slipping into the land of dreams, dreaming of our favorite things or even dreaming about a loved one?

Perhaps even a childhood memory that we are fond to reminisce upon.

But surprise! We have a holiday for this particular bodily function, and it is called the Festival of Sleep Day!

History of Festival Of Sleep Day

Nobody is quite sure when this holiday was founded, but it was founded by someone who had a profound and deep love of sleep. Sleep is a basic human function, and helps our bodies to regain energy for the next day, keeping our mind alert and ready for action.

Having a lack of sleep can be fatal to the human body and mind, effects caused by little to no sleep over an extended period of time are as follows.

Effect One: Lack of sleep in the modern world can cause people to get into vehicular accidents, which happen daily in large numbers.

Effect Two: Lack of sleep can in fact, dumb you down. As we all know, sleep plays a critical role in our thinking and learning processes. We also know that a lack of sleep hurts these cognitive processes in many ways. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. This makes it more difficult to learn efficiently. Secondly, sleep helps to retain memories of the day’s experience. Meaning that with a lack of sleep, we would not remember much of the previous day’s experiences. This makes sleep incredibly important for students, from those in college to those simply trying to learn a new language on their own.

Effect Three: Probably the most dangerous effect from having a long term lack of sleep is it can cause many and deadly health problems.

Here are some examples of these problems.
• Heart Disease
• Heart Attack
• Heart Failure
• Irregular Heartbeat
• High Blood Pressure
• Stroke • Diabetes



And



Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day



Just in case you haven’t indulged enough over the festive and new year periods, Chocolate Covered Cherry Day is an excuse to break open another box of cherry liqueurs and dig right in!

The idea behind chocolate-covered cherries is incredible simple: chocolate is delicious. So are cherries. So one day someone said, “Why not combine the two and make something even better?” and the chocolate-covered cherry was born!

The History of Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day

Chocolate covered cherries were introduced to the world by Cella’s Confections in New York in 1929 and were an immediate hit, quickly becoming famous the world over. Years later, in 1985, Cella’s Confections was bought from the Masarik Family by Tootsie Roll, though the family is still part owners of the product.

Today, almost 90 years after they were made for the first time, Cella’s chocolate covered cherries are famous the world over for their liquid center and extra gooey taste.

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January 3 Birthdays


Stephen Stills - 71



Mel Gibson - 61



JRR Tolkien - (1892-1973)



John Paul Jones - 71



Jim Ross - 65



George Martin - (1926-2016)



Victoria Principal - 67






January 3rd

2003: Joe Strummer, singer and guitarist for The Clash was cremated and his funeral procession took place, where it went past the Elgin pub in London, where The Clash played some of their earliest concerts.

1987: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame held their second induction ceremony in New York City. The inductees included B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Roy Orbison and Muddy Waters.

1981: David Bowie made his final appearance as the Elephant Man at the Booth Theatre in New York City

1974: Bob Dylan and The Band kicked off their North American tour at Chicago Stadium in Chicago. This was Dylan’s first tour since 1966.

1970: George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr recorded 16 takes of Harrison’s “I Me Mine” at Abbey Road Studios in London.

1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Unfinished Music Volume 1: Two Virgins arrived at Newark Airport in New Jersey where 30,000 copies of the album were confiscated by police who called the album cover “pornographic”.

1967: Beach Boys guitarist Carl Wilson was indicted for refusing to be sworn into the U.S. Army after he received his draft notice.

1964: The Beatles were shown on prime time American television for the first time on The Jack Parr Show.

1964: At the Glenlyn Ballroom in South London, The Rolling Stones headlined a concert with support from The Detours, who would go on to become The Who.



Birthdays:

George Martin - Producer for The Beatles born in 1926

Stephen Stills - Guitarist for Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills and Nash born in 1945

John Paul Jones - Bassist for Led Zeppelin born in 1946

Wednesday 4 Jan 2017

Pop Music Chart Day



If you ever listen to pop music the radio, you’re probably at least familiar with the concept of weekly pop music charts. They often play as a countdown of either the top five or top ten songs on the chart that week and either samples or the entire songs are played.

Pop music is hard to ignore and even if you absolutely hate it, there’s a pretty sure chance that you have heard at least some of the songs on the charts. Pop music is everywhere and it’s a mixed bag of awful racket and some genuinely interesting songs that all somehow reach the zenith of popularity. While some songs may only be on the chart for one week, there are others which remain among the most popular songs for months on end.

This, after all, is how we judge the most influential bands and musicians – if a song remains on the charts for a long period of time, there’s a good chance that your grandchildren will know it too.

It’s no trivial matter that names like The Beatles and Elvis Presley both found their way at the top of the charts for several sustained periods.

History of Pop Music Chart Day

It’s hard to come up with a working definition of pop music without the pop music charts, because it defies classification into a single genre.

While it can be said that there is a “typical” style of pop music in a particular period and country, the songs that top the charts do often defy these bounds.

That being said, pop music songs average about three minutes in length (optimal radio airtime) and are commercially produced.

But ultimately it’s all subjective anyhow.

Pop Music Chart Day has been celebrated for years, and lifts up that most important of music yardsticks, the pop music chart, into the limelight it should be in.

After all, without this innovation, how would we know what the best music out there is?



And



World Braille Day



World Braille Day celebrates the birth of Louis Braille, inventor of the reading and writing system used by millions of blind and partially sighted people all over the globe. Though not a public holiday in any country, World Braille Day provides an opportunity for teachers, charities and non-government organizations to raise awareness about issues facing the blind and the importance of continuing to produce works in Braille, providing the blind with access to the same reading and learning opportunities as the sighted.

The History of World Braille Day

Louis Braille, the inventor of braille, was born in France on January 4th, 1809. Blinded in both eyes in an accident as a child, Braille nevertheless managed to master his disability while still a child.

Despite not being able to see at all, he excelled in his education and received scholarship to France’s Royal Institute for Blind Youth. During his studies, inspired by the military cryptography of Charles Barbier of the French Army, he developed a system of tactile code that could allow the blind to read and write quickly and efficiently.

Braille presented the results of his hard work to his peers for the first time in 1824 when he was just fifteen years of age.

In 1829, he published his first book about the system he had created, called “Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them”.

The braille system works by representing the alphabet letters (and numbers) in a series of 6 dots paired up in 3 rows. The simplicity of his idea allowed books to start being produced on a large scale in a format that thousands of blind people can read by running their fingertips over the dots.

Thanks to this, blind students have the opportunity to be educated alongside their peers as well as read for pleasure just as easily as any seeing person can.

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January 4 Birthdays


Louis Braille - (1809-1852)



Sir Isaac Newton - (1643-1727)



Dyan Cannon - 80






January 4th

2004: Kinks singer and guitarist Ray Davies was shot in the leg in the French Quarter of New Orleans while chasing two men who stole the purse of his female companion.

1986: Thin Lizzy bassist and singer Phil Lynott died of heart failure and pneumonia at Salisbury Hospital in Wiltshire, U.K. He was 36 years old.

1979: The Star Club in Hamburg, Germany re- opened to the public due to renewed interest in The Beatles. No members of The Beatles attended the re-opening.

1977: En route to performing concerts in Holland, the Sex Pistols vomited and spat their way to their flight at London’s Heathrow Airport before boarding their plane to Amsterdam.

1975: Elton John began a two week run on top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with a cover of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. John Lennon provided background vocals and played guitar. This was the only time a Beatles cover ever topped the singles chart in the U.S.

1973: The Allman Brothers Band announced that Lamar Williams would replace the late Berry Oakley on bass.

1970: Who drummer Keith Moon accidentally ran over and killed his bodyguard Neil Boland while trying to escape a gang of skinheads outside of a pub in Hatfield, U.K.

1970: George Harrison, Paul McCartney and George Martin entered EMI Studios in London to re-record vocals and a new guitar solo for “Let it Be”. This would be the final studio appearance for The Beatles as a group.

1969: The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed an impromptu rendition of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” as a tribute due to their recent split on the BBC’s Happening for Lulu.



Birthdays:

Michael Stipe - Singer for R.E.M. born in 1960

Thursday 5 Jan 2017

National Whipped Cream Day



Nothing completes an ice cream sundae, hot chocolate or a piece of pumpkin pie quite like a luxurious dollop of real whipped cream.

What a delight to celebrate all that is great about whipped cream with Whipped Cream Day!

Whipped cream has been around for ages. But it was in 1946, when the aerosol can was first invented by Aaron Lapin, that sales and popularity of this dessert delight really took off.

Whipped cream has continued to transform desserts and hot drinks from the merely ordinary to something truly special. Whether one likes whipped cream squirted straight out those nifty aerosol cans, or prefers the more traditional version of whisking cream by hand, whipped cream is truly one of those little delights in life that deserves a bit of praise and recognition.

Whipped Cream Day provides the perfect excuse to indulge in a sweet treat with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.

Happy Whipped Cream Day!



And



National Bird Day



There are a lot of different species of birds in the world. Different people have different relationships with the various species. As such, one could easily imagine that there are actually numerous Bird Days in the world, serving different purposes varying by region.

What we’re talking about is known as Bird Day, observed primarily in the United States, which is different from occasions such as International Migratory Bird Day, World Migratory Bird Day, Bird Day (UK), and several other Bird Days which do not follow the same etymology as “turkey day”.

We’ll also note that all of these are all named for our avian friends, not the late Senator Robert Byrd. The National is a bit deceptive here; For a day to technically be a National holiday, an Act of Congress is required, and there’s no evidence that has ever happened.

That being said, it is popularly known as Bird Day, regardless of whatever Congress might think of that.

History of Bird Day

Back in 1894, Charles Almanzo Babcock, the superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania, declared the first holiday in the United States to celebrate birds.

Babcock wanted to advance bird conservation as a moral value and it seems that his holiday caught on. Babcock’s Bird Day is actually what is now known as International Migratory Bird Day, though it isn’t actually related to Bird Day in terms of history.

Bird Day marked the end of the annual Christmas Bird Count in the mid-21st century. However, it does seem that Bird Day is at least dedicated in part to raising awareness about birds held in captivity. Presumably that includes your Aunt Marjorie’s parrot, the penguins in the Columbus Zoo, and that turkey that made the ultimate sacrifice to grace your family’s dinner table back in November.

After all, a holiday that marks the end of three weeks of focusing on wild birds that occurs during the Christmas Bird Count would appropriately focus some attention on captive birds.

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January 5 Birthdays


Marilyn Manson - 48



Bradley Cooper - 42



Diane Keaton - 71



Robert Duvall - 86



Juan Carlos I King of Spain - 79






January 5th

2003: Little Richard made a guest appearance on The Simpsons.

2000: Rob Halford announced that he had written a letter of conciliation to his then-former band-mates in Judas Priest which began rumors of Halford reuniting with the band. Halford re- joined the band in 2003.

1991: Iron Maiden went to number one on the U.K. Singles Chart for the first and only time with “Bring Your Daughter…to the Slaughter” which spent one week on top.

1985: The Honeydrippers which featured Robert Plant peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their cover of “Sea of Love” which became Plant’s highest charting single in the U.S.

1978: The Sex Pistols made their North American live debut at the Great Southeast Music Hall in Atlanta before an estimated attendance of 500 people.

1973: Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ. The album initially sold 25,000 copies in the first year, but would later be certified double platinum in 1992.

1968: Bob Dylan received his fourth gold record for Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits which later went on to sell five million copies in the U.S.

1967: Paul McCartney recorded his vocal track for The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” at Abbey Road Studios in London.

1959: Buddy Holly’s final single “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore”, written by Paul Anka was released. After Holly’s death it peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.



Birthdays:

Sam Phillips - Founder of Sun Records born in 1923

Ice Wizard, you could keep me entertained all night with this, but gotta hit the hay. 'great threat though, love it.

06 Jan 2017

Three Kings Day



From gift giving to feasts, Christianity has always celebrated many different holidays in different forms. However, there is one holiday that tends to stand out from the rest. That holiday is Three Kings Day. So follow us on our ship into the past as we learn about Three Kings Day.

The history of Three Kings Day

Also known as Epiphany or Theophany, Three Kings Day is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God in his Son as human in Jesus Christ. The observance had its origins in the eastern Christian churches and was a general celebration of the manifestation of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It included the commemoration of his birth; the visit of the Magi, all of Jesus’ childhood events, his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist, and even the miracle at the wedding at Cana in Galilee.

It seems fairly clear that the Baptism was the primary event being commemorated. The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in A.D. 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus.

St. Epiphanius says that Epiphany(Three Kings Day) is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion, which translates to “Christ’s Birthday; that is, His Epiphany” He also asserts that the Miracle of Cana occurred on the same calendar day.

In a sermon delivered on December 25th 380 A.D., St. Gregory of Nazianzus referred to the day as ta theophania(“the Theophany”, an alternative name for Epiphany). He said that it is a day commemorating the holy nativity of Christ and told his listeners that they would soon be celebrating the baptism of Christ.

Then, on Three Kings Day, he preached two more sermons, where he declared that the celebration of the birth of Christ and the visitation of the Magi had taken place and that they would now commemorate his Baptism.

At this time, the celebration of the two events was being observed on separate occasions. St. John Cassian said that even in his time (the beginning of the 5th century), the Egyptian monasteries celebrated the Nativity and Baptism together on January 6th. The Armenian Apostolic Church continues to celebrate Three Kings Day as the only commemoration of the Nativity.



And



Cuddle Up Day



Winter has the coldest days of the year so there’s many ways to stay warm. One of the best ways to stay warm is a three-dog night, a night so cold it takes cuddling up to three dogs to stay warm.

There are multiple benefits to cuddling with people, canines, and other pets. Let’s find out what those are in the history of Cuddle Up Day!

The Warm History of Cuddle Up Day

Cuddling releases oxytocin. This hormone alone has huge health benefits. Besides giving us warm and fuzzy feelings, oxytocin reduces pain.

So when the cold has made those muscles and joints ache, cuddling can help reduce those aches and pains. Oxytocin also helps reduce heart disease, reduces blood pressure, stress, and anxiety. If it weren’t free, cuddling would probably be covered by health insurance because it’s such a huge health benefit!

Communication is more than just e-mails, texts, or conversations. Physical touch can communicate trust, commitment, safety, and reassurance. This goes for human to human contact as well has human to pet contact.

Cuddling communicates all these things which are vital to a strong relationship. Cuddling can also boost sexual desire. Dopamine is released stimulating the brain to seek pleasure. But dopamine also can improve memory and focus as well.

Cuddling also helps a mother better bond with her infant or toddler children. As cuddling releases Oxytocin, it relaxes the mother so breastfeeding may come more easily.

It also enables sleep, even when the mother might have difficulty sleeping with a newborn in the house. Cuddling can actually help with social anxiety which helps you have a positive outlook on the world.

Cuddling doesn’t even have to be between you and your romantic partner. Don’t have someone to cuddle up with? Make an appointment for a massage. Studies show massage provides similar benefits. You can also go and hug your friends or play with your pets.

If you don’t want to be so social or don’t have a furry friends, never fear friend! You can rub your own shoulders, take a warm bath or of course, get a massage.

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January 6 Birthdays


Rowan (Mr Bean) Atkinson - 62



Joan of Arc - (1412-1431)



Eric Trump - 33



Syd Barrett - (1946-2006)



Malcolm Young - 64






January 6th

1993: On the U.K. television show Tonight, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman confirmed that he was leaving the group.

1987: Eric Clapton began a six night stand at London’s Royal Albert Hall. This would become an on-again/off-again annual stint for Clapton.

1979: Billy Joel peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “My Life” which was Joel’s second top ten single in the U.S.

1977: EMI Records released the Sex Pistols from their contract due to their rowdy public behavior. The Sex Pistols were given a $68,000 payout for the early release.

1976: Peter Frampton released his breakthrough double live album Frampton Comes Alive! The album would be certified Gold less than eight weeks after its release and go on to sell six million copies in the U.S.

1975: Pink Floyd entered Abbey Road Studios in London to begin work on Wish You Were Here.

1975: Approximately 1,000 Led Zeppelin fans rioted and caused $30,000 worth of damage to Boston Garden while waiting for Led Zeppelin tickets to go on sale for an upcoming concert, which would be cancelled by Boston’s mayor due to the riot.

1970: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young made their U.K. live debut at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

1958: The Gibson Guitar Corporation patented its Flying V guitar.



Birthdays:

Syd Barrett - Singer and guitarist for Pink Floyd born in 1946

Malcolm Young - Guitarist for AC/DC born in 1953

07 Jan 2017

Harlem Globetrotter's Day



The Harlem Globetrotters have played a strange part in the lives of us who grew up in the age of classic Scooby Doo. Even in animation the Globetrotters would make appearances, such was their fame and belovedness. These fantastic basketball players came out of New York, and they grew to live up to their name and fame!

History of Harlem Globetrotter Day

The Harlem Globetrotters were established on January 7, 1927 by Abe Saperstein. Originally called the Savoy Big Five, this African American team of players were some of the most famous to ever enter the game.

They were famous for their on court antics, and they showed them best when they won the World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1940.

These guys were amazing and on fire, and loved entertaining the crowd with their uncanny basketball ability, juggling basketballs and making shots that were nothing short of outlandish.

In 1948 the NBA was formed, and the Globetrotters showed their skill by defeating the Minneapolis Lakers, and in 1950 things got competitive as African American basketball players were finally admitted into the NBA.

Even with the new opportunities, the Globetrotters remained one of the biggest draws and began to live up to their name by travelling the world.

They even got to perform for the Pope!



And

This day is for our own.... Spanky



Old Rock Day



Old Rock Day, despite some misconception, is not a day of celebrating classic Rock ‘n’ Roll tunes of days gone by but is, in fact, the day that Geologists and amateur rock enthusiasts take it upon themselves to show their appreciation of all things fossilised and stony.

The exact origins of this day are unclear and unconfirmed but there has been a suggestion that this day was first created by the cartoon family known as The Flintstones.

Nobody from The Flintstones however was available for comment.

This is also the day when young children are often encouraged to go out and discover their first “pet rock.” It is a day that they can use to bond with their “pet” and cement the very beginning of their lengthy future relationship.

Unlike with other pets, “pet rocks” never ever grow old or die. Other festivities on this day include painting and decorating the “faces” of rocks and of gathering together attractive pebbles and stones to make inexpensive and original pieces of jewellery.

It is also the day that the pastime of building a “rock garden” is actively encouraged. Some towns and villages around the world hold competitions on this day to find the best decorated “rock garden”.

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January 7 Birthdays


Nicolas Cage - 53



Katie Couric - 60



David Caruso - 61



Kenny Loggins - 69



Ashley Gold - 39



Millard Fillmore - (1800-1874)






January 7th

2004: The Black Crowes’ singer Chris Robinson’s wife, actress Kate Hudson gave birth to their first child, a son named Ryder Russell.

1999: After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart announced his separation from his second wife Rachel Hunter. Their divorce was finalized in 2006.

1997: Two bronze busts worth $70,000 were stolen from George Harrison’s garden at his mansion in Henley, U.K.

1994: Nirvana performed their final concert in the U.S. at the Seattle Center Arena.

1992: John Mellencamp kicked off his first North American tour in four years at the Savannah Civic Center in Savannah, GA before a sellout crowd of 6,792.

1989: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with their reunion album American Dream. Despite numerous poor reviews the album went on to go Platinum in the U.S.

1980: Foreigner’s third album Head Games was certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA and later went on to sell five million albums in the U.S. alone.

1974: Aerosmith kicked off their tour in support of Get Your Wings at the State Theatre in Detroit.

1970: Max Yasgur, whose farm played host to the first Woodstock was sued by neighboring farmers for $35,000 in property damage.



Birthdays:

Jann Wenner - Co-founder and Publisher of Rolling Stone magazine born in 1946

8 Jan 2017

Bubble Bath Day



That first bath, bubbles rising up around us in a scent that would soon become associated with warmth, comfort, and safety. It started with the love of a mother’s hands, and in time we began to pamper ourselves.

Rich bubbles, beautiful candles, quiet music, and a little time to ourselves have all been the hallmark of the bubble bath. Bubblebath Day reminds us of these little luxuries, and to take time out of our day to treat ourselves to a little special TLC.

History of Bubble Bath Day

Bubble Baths have been popular for as long as baths with surfactant based soap have been a thing. There are multiple practical uses for them, ranging from the unexpected to the curiously unthought of.

Bubble baths have been renowned for their ability to soothe and relax, but this doesn’t actually address the more interesting reasons behind their popularity.

You see, bubbles have the ability to help remove and prevent the nasty ring that forms around your bath-tub, leaving you, and your tub, that much cleaner.

Additionally, it can effectively preserve the modesty of one in a bath as the bubbles obscure vision. Additionally, the bubbles act as an insulator, preserving the heat of the bath and allowing you to luxuriate in it even longer.

Bubble baths in general, speaking of the substance one puts in ones bath to cause the bubbles, are often pleasantly scented, and many of them are combined with ingredients that serve to help moisturize the skin and relax the bather.



And



Earth's Rotation Day[/b]



The earth rotates on its axis and one full rotation takes 24 hours to complete. We’d be very surprised if you didn’t already know that, but what you may not know is that the speed of the earth’s rotation can change from day to day and year to year.

So a true solar day is not exactly 24 hours, but the variations are a matter of seconds. A mean solar day is based on the yearlong average, but the basic concept of a solar day itself is the length of time for the earth to complete one full rotation on its axis.

History of Earth’s Rotation Day

In 1851, the French physicist Léon Foucault demonstrated how the earth rotates by suspending a lead-filled brass ball from the top of the Panthéon in Paris. This device, now known as the Foucault Pendulum, showed that the plane of the swing of the pendulum rotated relative to the Earth’s own rotation. Foucault Pendulums can now be found in science museums across the globe.

Isaac Newton discovered gravity but he did not actually explain the cause behind it, merely that it exists as a force. The earth’s rotation is the cause for gravity and Foucault’s pendulums demonstrated this.

Earth’s Rotation Day honors Foucault’s first public demonstration and from what we could find it has historically been celebrated on the anniversary of that occasion.

That being said, we’re less clear on who first marked the occasion of Earth’s Rotation Day or when they decided to do it. It probably didn’t happen in Foucault’s lifetime, but we can’t be completely certain either way.

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January 8 Birthdays


Elvis Presley - (1935-1977)



David Bowie - (1947-2016)



Stephen Hawking - 75



Kim Jong-un - 34






January 8th

2001: Karen Jane McNeil was arrested for a second time for stalking Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose outside of his Malibu, CA home.

1991: Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark was found dead at his apartment in Chelsea, U.K. from a mixture of anti-depressants, painkillers and alcohol. He was 30 years old.

1983: Don Henley peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with “Dirty Laundry”, Henley’s first top ten solo single in the U.S.

1979: The Canadian Government named Rush the country’s official Ambassadors of Music.

1977: Queen reached number one on the U.K. Album Chart with A Day at the Races which spent one week on top of the chart. It reached number five in the Billboard 200 Album Chart.

1977: The Guess Who’s Burton Cummings peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with his debut solo single “Stand Tall” which would be his only top ten single as a solo artist in the U.S.

1975: Tickets for three Led Zeppelin concerts the following month at Madison Square Garden went on-sale and all 60,000 tickets sold out in four hours. Madison Square Garden’s box office had to call other ticket outlets to cope with the ticket demand, which was unheard of at the time.

1974: Kiss signed with Neil Bogart’s Casablanca Records. Shortly after signing they held a dress rehearsal for members of the press.

1966: On the final episode of Shindig! The Who and The Kinks peformed.



Birthdays:

Elvis Presley born in 1935

Terry Sylvester - Guitarist for The Hollies born in 1945

Robby Krieger - Guitarist for The Doors born in 1946

David Bowie born in 1947

Mike Reno - Singer for Loverboy born in 1955

09 Jan 2017

National Static Electricity Day



It’s the bane of wool wearers, and the champion of older brothers. Static electricity has been experienced by all of us, whether we’re simply grabbing a door handle on a cool dry day, or experiencing the magnificence of natural lightning.

Whether you got it from walking across a carpet in wool socks or from petting your friendly purr-box kitten, static electricity has occasionally added a little spark to your day.

History of Static Electricity Day

The origin of static electricity has long been an inconsidered mystery of youth.

We knew enough about how it worked to generate it on demand, given the right materials, but not quite enough to truly explain how it worked.

It just did.

Let the mystery be unraveled! Static electricity is formed when two insulators are rubbed together, generating a static field of imbalanced positive and negatively charged ions. When the now charged insulators come into contact with a conductor (like metal, for instance) the charge is released. And this is why you get shocked when you grab a door-handle after crossing a room in wool socks!

Air that is drier is far better for generating static electricity than humid air, hence why you tend to experience this phenomena more in winter than you do in summer.

Static Electricity Day is your opportunity to really embrace this, and learn a bit more about it.

For good or little sister.



And



Balloon Ascension Day



Anyone who has ever been in a hot air balloon will tell you it is an incredible experience, especially if they have been on such a ride in a place that boasts a particularly majestic landscape.

It may be hard for us to imagine nowadays, but there was a time, not quite so long ago, when humans had no idea how to go about getting up into the air and staying there in a way we take for granted today, via planes or helicopters.

In those days, being able to fly, or even float, was a near-impossible goal that many strove to achieve, but only few succeeded.

Jean Pierre Blanchard was one of those who succeeded, and January 9th is the day to remember his feat.

The History of Balloon Ascension Day

The very first Balloon Ascension Day was every bit as exciting as it sounds. A man named Jean Paul Blanchard, who was a French aeronaut and inventor, stood in front of Walnut Street Prison in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in a spot that is now known as Independence Square, making some last-minute adjustments to his balloon, while a sizable crowd looked on.

Blachard had been preparing for this for a while, and he had sold plenty of tickets to people excited to see him ascend into the sky in his hydrogen-filled gas balloon. In fact, Blachard was so good at creating a buzz about his project that it is thought that most of the entire capital city’s population had come to the prison courtyard to watch, and a great many from the surrounding countryside as well.

In fact, the president of the Unite States, George Washington himself, was also present.

Some of the onlookers tried to convince Blachard to let them go with him, but he refused, determined to be the first person to ever ascend into the air in the New World. And then…up he went, reaching an altitude of 200 fathoms during the course of his flight.

He monitored his pulse during the entirety of the trip, finally coming down gently in the field of a confused farmer who helped him get back.

And so, on January 9th, 1793, the first balloon flight ever to take place in North America was declared a success, and balloon travel became more popular.

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January 9 Birthdays


Kate Middleton - 35



Jimmy Page - 73



Richard Millhouse Nixon - (1913-1994)



JK Simmons - 62



Bart Starr - 83



Bob Denver - (1935-2005)



Crystal Gayle - 66






January 9th

2005: Motley Crue singer Vince Neil got married for the fourth time to longtime girlfriend Lia Gerardini in Las Vegas. The wedding ceremony was performed by Neil’s fellow Surreal Life cast member MC Hammer. The couple would separate in 2010.

2004: Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres became a father for the first time when his third wife Maria Alejandra gave birth to a son named Hector Alexander.

2001: Rush began recording what became their seventeenth studio album Vapor Trails at Reaction Studios in Toronto. It took approximately 14 months to finish, which was the longest time they spent writing and recording an album.

1997: One day after his 50th birthday, David Bowie performed a 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden with special guests Lou Reed, Billy Corgan, Robert Smith, the Foo Fighters And Sonic Youth.

1996: Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson released his first solo album under the name Victor. The album reached number 99 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart.

1992: Sting made a guest appearance on The Simpsons as himself recording a charity single. Sting’s appearance to this day is credited as one of the best celebrity guest appearances on the program.

1973: The Rolling Stones’ Asian tour was cancelled when Japan refused to issue a visa for Mick Jagger due to a 1969 drug convication.

1971: Santana peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Black Magic Woman” which was their second top ten single in the U.S.

1963: Charlie Watts left Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated to become the drummer for The Rolling Stones.



Birthdays: Jimmy Page - Guitarist for The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin born in 1944

David Johansen - Singer for the New York Dolls born in 1950